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The Latest: Ryan Seacrest denies inappropriate behaviour

NEW YORK, N.Y. – The Latest on sexual harassment allegations against celebrities and media (all times local):

7:15 p.m.

Ryan Seacrest is disputing an allegation that he engaged in inappropriate behaviour with an employee at E! News nearly a decade ago.

In a statement Friday, Seacrest says his former wardrobe stylist made the complaint. Seacrest isn’t releasing details of the allegation but says he’s “truly sorry” if he made her feel “anything but respected.”

Still, Seacrest disputes the allegation, which he calls reckless, and describes himself as “an advocate for women.”

Cameron Mitchell says in a statement released by a spokeswoman Friday that Mann had been “under consideration” for representation by the high-profile talent agency he worked for, Creative Arts Agency.

Mann filed a lawsuit Thursday alleging that she had been sexually harassed and that Mitchell had forced her to perform oral sex on him twice. She also said she went to a bar with him and then only remembered waking up in her bed with him lying nude next to her.

Mitchell says that after he told Mann she was no longer being considered for representation by CAA she brought the allegations to CAA’s human resources office.

Mann alleged in her suit that CAA ignored the allegations and “divorced itself from the matter.” CAA says it launched an immediate investigation and suspended Mitchell last month

The company says Mann was never a client of the agency and that Mitchell had formed a personal relationship with her. CAA says that as of Friday, Mitchell no longer works at the agency.

CAA says it will vigorously fight the allegations made in Mann’s lawsuit in court.

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4:15 p.m.

Vice Media has appointed a seven-woman advisory board to examine workplace issues at the media company following a report in The Daily Beast that Vice tolerated inappropriate behaviour and harassment toward women.

Feminist icon Gloria Steinem, who has a series on the Viceland cable network, is on the panel. Other members include Tina Tchen, former chief of staff to First Lady Michelle Obama; Maya Harris, a senior adviser on Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign; and lawyer Roberta Kaplan.

The Daily Beast said that some people at Vice cited the company’s “Non-Traditional Workplace Agreement,” which requires new employees to say they weren’t bothered by images and information that some would consider offensive, as an excuse to overlook bad behaviour.

The company has said it will investigate specific allegations of misbehaviour outlined in the article, which included allegations by more than a dozen women who spoke of harassing behaviour and company indifference.

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2:40 p.m.

Actress Demi Mann says she was repeatedly sexually assaulted by her agent and his high-profile Los Angeles talent agency did nothing to stop it and “divorced itself from the matter” when she tried to report the assaults.

Mann charges she was sexually harassed and then sexually assaulted by her agent, Cameron Mitchell, who works for Creative Arts Agency, LLC. She says Mitchell grabbed the back of her head and forced her to perform oral sex in June and again in August.

Mann also says she went to a West Hollywood bar with Mitchell in September and woke up later that night with no memory of what happened and Mitchell lying next to her nude.

She says she tried to report the incidents to the talent agency’s human resources office, but no one would meet with her. She says the company “refused to take any action.”

An actress on “Transparent” says the show’s star Jeffrey Tambor pressed his body against hers in a sexually aggressive manner during filming and made inappropriate and unwanted sexual statements.

Tambor denies the allegations saying he has “never been a predator — ever.”

The actress, Trace Lysette, who is herself transgender, said in a statement to Deadline Thursday that Tambor trapped her and pressed his body against hers in a sexual way on the set of the Amazon show. Lysette urged Amazon in her statement to “remove the problem and let the show go on.”

Amazon says it is adding the information to an investigation of Tambor it opened last week when his assistant made similar allegations.

Tambor said in a statement that he is sorry if any of his actions have been misinterpreted or hurt anyone.